Thailand's Prostitution Image Is Embarrassing

[carib102]

You have.. HAVE to be kidding! Im an American and know and LOVE SNL! ( I wont discuss the downturn in quality since the likes of Chris Farley hah)

In NO WAY, does the show or the skit itself say ANYTHING that the world does not already know. The world has known for a long time that Bangkok and Pattaya have been major sex-tourist destinations. Its only "embarrassing" now because someone made fun of it. I think making some attempts to either regulate it(yes, regulate it) or completely clean it up would be a more effective route than WHINING about a comedy sketch.

PS... not ALL westerners think "ooooh Bangkok, I want to go there so I can schtupp an underage, disadvantaged farm girl who may or may not have various STIs"

To the author of this article: Im a little offended that you would denigrate ALL Westerners like that. You would be the first to squawk if I said all Thais are degenerate thieves who would rob their own grandmother blind, so dont do it to others.

I have to agree. SNL is nothing like what it was in the 70's. I also agree about the Bangkok comment. My Thai wife came to live in the U.S. for 5 years and was totally accepted at both her workplaces, we never received any sidelong glances that I was aware of and to be honest most of the people who asked where she was from needed a map to locate Thailand. Not everyone thinks Thailand is the "hub of prostitution".

[Pimay1]

This is the most stupid biased and uninformed article i have read in awhile

To the author; wake up moron!!

You are exactly right. He is only singling out foreigners. Foreigners are a miniscule percent of the people who frequent prostitutes here in Thailand. The Thai males are probably 99% if the truth were known.

[carib102]

I find it funny that I keep seeing ads for Travel Girls (Meet thousands of adventurous girls who want to travel!) as I look at this thread. They say they aren't an escort site hahaha!

[scotto]

Thailand is embarresed about prostituion maybe the pollies

should start at the top and work on cleaning up all the

corruption and bribery that goes on.

Maybe then when thats done they could start with all

the rest of the embarrasing problems thailand hasbut as we all

know TiT and will never happen

more talk no action

[rinteln]

[

Well I think it depends what your definition of sex slave is. I think we can agree that's up for opinion. Bottom line is their work is sex. That is what I mean. You see this is part of the problem and your showing it and I have seen this so many times. you are not regarding them as prostitutes, you are giving them a softly softly names and not accepting they are prostitutes.

In regards to your last comment, what is your point then ? Ofcourse she will say she wants to be in a bar. I would like to be gambling and drinking whiskey all day for a living if i could but i know its not constructive. Are you suggesting that my whole argument is void because a bar girl would prefer to be in a bar !!!

Anyway you have only really stated what I have said, whats your opinion and take on it ?

A "slave" has no option but to do what they are made to do by other people. My point is that the bar girls that attend farangs are not slaves, but free agents that can and do change occupation at will. They choose to work in the bar and they can choose to leave. A "slave" can't do that.

I will call them prostitutes if you call western women that get married or live with someone in exchange for wealth prostitutes.

I prefer to equate bar girls with women in the west that work as perfectly legal escorts.

Modified to allow posting.

Ok point taken regarding sex slave.

Blimey the denial in this forum is worrying, in general not just you.

Look..................... to not accept the word prostitution being used is to simply disagree with the English language. A prostitute is someone who solicits and accepts payment for sex. To deny this is what a bar girl is, is either to suggest that she would have sex with you for any other reason or to argue with the definition as per the English dictionary. Both or either would be funny to attempt. Now most of these girls are not in Pattaya for the good food and beaches are they. They are here with the intention of soliciting themselves for sex. They are prostitutes. I can see how desperate you guys are to name them as anything apart from what they are......its painful to read.

"I prefer to equate bar girls with women in the west that work as perfectly legal escorts"

Oh dear !!!

Edited February 15, 2013 by rinteln

[thaigold]

I don't understand everybody blames Thai culture and the education system for the business of Eros in the Kingdom. Any young woman who isn't lazy can get an education and move forward with her life. Cases in point:

1. My niece, who is Thai, and came from humble beginnings in Southern Thailand, managed through hard work and diligence to get her bachelors degree. She now lives in the United States and enjoys a bright future.

2. A close friend of mine met a young woman in a soi Cowboy bar and offered to pay her living expenses and tuition at Chula. She gratefully accepted and give him her bank account number for the deposits. I told him to let me talk with Chula admissions and see if the cost could be handled directly with the university. The answer was an easy yes.

Two months later he found her back at the bar. Once these girls get a taste of the easy money, they're hooked. No lack of opportunity, just laziness. Sabai - Sabai.

[MongersSyndicate]

Why would they care about "image" in the first place. It's that image which brings billions to the economy. Besides, I could never wrap my head around what is wrong with prostitution. Is it really so prestigious to waste one's life with a stupid marriage? It's a shame that there is only about one country in the world where one can have real fun. There should be Pattayas in every country but there are not, here lies the real problem.

[barmatt]

There should be more of it imo

[brewsterbudgen]

I don't understand everybody blames Thai culture and the education system for the business of Eros in the Kingdom. Any young woman who isn't lazy can get an education and move forward with her life. Cases in point:

1. My niece, who is Thai, and came from humble beginnings in Southern Thailand, managed through hard work and diligence to get her bachelors degree. She now lives in the United States and enjoys a bright future.

2. A close friend of mine met a young woman in a soi Cowboy bar and offered to pay her living expenses and tuition at Chula. She gratefully accepted and give him her bank account number for the deposits. I told him to let me talk with Chula admissions and see if the cost could be handled directly with the university. The answer was an easy yes.

Two months later he found her back at the bar. Once these girls get a taste of the easy money, they're hooked. No lack of opportunity, just laziness. Sabai - Sabai.

And your point is? You could same the same about people in any country. Laziness isn't restricted to Thais.

[ginjag]

Blame the Farang Westerner...

If its so sad and disgraceful why do the girls chain smoke...have tattoos all over and drink so much? Sort of advertising what your job is isn't it? Walking around in really short skirts or shorts.

I don't see office workers or bankers it nurses do that

Lets grow up and call a spade a spade.

Don't blame foreigners for it.

Hmmmmm. If wearing really short skirts or shorts indicates that the wearer is a prostitute, 90% of the young women where I live must be on the game, and there is hardly a farang to be seen, certainly no tourists.

It has been stated so many times onTVF that 90% of girl bars and massage, and boy bars, are used by Thais not as thought farrangs/westerners.

[ratcatcher]

Unfortunately a true fact ... I guess if tighter laws against prostitution appear a lot of men wont come to Thailand anymore .... but maybe more families will replace them also . It could be interesting to see how many prostitute female or male are in Thailand.

There is nothing wrong with prostitution as long as no one is gettig hurt or forced to do anything they do not want to do, and no, my wife was never a bargirl although all my friends wifes were, and they all very nice people. and I won't hear a bad word againat them.

"....,my wife was never a bar girl although all my friends wives were,"

And there we have it, finally.

[NanLaew]

Prostitution is the biggest industry in Thailand. I was in Thailand for first time 1975. Pattaya was only short beach street with few small hotel and few restaurant, same Patong in Phuket. Look it now, naked girls,girls,girls

"Prostitution is the biggest industry in Thailand" ..............ermmm you might get some replies to that....lol

I don't think so. Even tourism as a whole is only about 7% of the GDP i think and i'm not sure how domestic prostitution could be measured anyway.

Anyway its not Thailand's biggest industry. I think you will find its probably manufacturing

Nope, all wrong. Farming is still the biggest earner in LOS. That's of course when all the bar girls are back up north, lending a hand with the rice (low season).

[EyesWideOpen]

What Thailand should be embarrassed about is the plethora of extremely unattractive older Foreign (white) men who proliferate here like rednecks with little subservient slave girls from poor families. The range of ugliness of these types of men living here is appalling.

And vice versa. I used to work with young male Thai university graduates. They would ask me in amazement why wealthy farangs would marry and be with Thai farm girls who were extremely ugly in the eyes of these Thai men. I had no real answer for them...

Oh no.... not ANOTHER farang worker feeling stigmatized whenever an 'educated' Thai co-worker pushes the "Isaan slappers are ugly" button?

Nope you could not be farther than the truth. I personally love women with a built in sun tan. :-) I felt they were odd with their obsession with white skinned pseudo farang Thai-Chinese girls. I told them the darker the skin, the hotter the sex.......

[seminomadic]

LOL.

The author has led a sheltered life. Cute to read.

Anyway, Amsterdam has the same image, also among Thais, yet it doesn't bother too many people.

I strongly suggest that Thai people stop worrying about image, and work on improving life for all Thais. A draconian enforcing of prostitution laws deprives consenting adults from remaining options they do have. That's having it ***backwards.

Quoting to re-post due to brilliance.

Furthermore, the author doesn't understand that her attitude exacerbates the problem - saying "not funny for the prostitutes" - victimization, lack of personal responsibility - is the exact attitude that makes more rubes leave the farm for the city to sell their *****. They can always opt-out by playing the victim card if there's heat. Until then, playing the one-eyed bandit brings them riches none in their clan have ever seen.

[DA3NDORPHIN3]

Lets face it -many foreigners who come/live in Thailand are morons.They dont know anything about Thai life,thai girls except examples from varius soi-s.This guy is talking if women wear shorts then she must be a prostitute,<deleted>? Than most of women from Bangkok are prostitutes?

You dont even have to talk to "farangs",just look at many idiotic posts on internet.Other then many pointless assumptions and reasons why is she working as a bar girls the fact is:

-99% of them -has at LEAST 1 baby to take care without husband,family,child support

-has a poor family that needs to be "take care of"

-dont have any education,even 12-15years if she's lucky

So having a baby/ies,poor family,not even a basic education,she cant work more then 6-7000baht.Its hardly enough for her,needless to say for baby,family.

If you want to see a bar girl transformation you should look at newcomers in bar and after 2-3 months of "working".Sleeping with strangers for money,really changes the person.

The point is everybody has a dream when they're young ,nobody thinks about someday being a dirty old man fantasy.Unfortunately for most of them,its their only choice.

[hawker9000]

Unfortunately a true fact ... I guess if tighter laws against prostitution appear a lot of men wont come to Thailand anymore .... but maybe more families will replace them also . It could be interesting to see how many prostitute female or male are in Thailand.

You don't even begin to get it. Prostitution exists in Thailand not merely because foreigners come here looking for it. Do you actually think Thai men don't visit prostitutes here in even greater numbers?! Which "customer" demographic do you think actually best accounts for child trafficking here? Foreigners? Prostitution exists for the same reason it exists everywhere; the money to be made from it, whatEVER the nationality of the customer might be! Thai police and their relatives own a significant percentage of the hostess bars & gogos in Pattaya. You think you're going to shut THEM down?! Families are coming to Pattaya in greater numbers, and businesses to cater to them are proliferating to be sure. That won't eliminate prostitution though. It might "displace" it to different parts of town (or make it more expensive), but it won't eliminate it. The idea of a serious enforcement campaign is laughable. Enforcement. LOL. You mean the same way they enforce no-smoking laws, or traffic laws, or alcohol bans, or copyright/trademark infringement, or anti-corruption laws, or...., or...., or...., or... .

Tsk tsk tsk. You've been drinking the anti-farang koolaid again.

[Pimay1]

Unfortunately a true fact ... I guess if tighter laws against prostitution appear a lot of men wont come to Thailand anymore .... but maybe more families will replace them also . It could be interesting to see how many prostitute female or male are in Thailand.

There is nothing wrong with prostitution as long as no one is gettig hurt or forced to do anything they do not want to do, and no, my wife was never a bargirl although all my friends wifes were, and they all very nice people. and I won't hear a bad word againat them.

"....,my wife was never a bar girl although all my friends wives were,"

And there we have it, finally.

I would comment on this but would probably get banned.

[NanLaew]

.....

2. A close friend of mine met a young woman in a soi Cowboy bar.....

It is ALWAYS seems to happen to 'a friend of mine' on this forum doesn't it?

[mrverily]

My wife and I own a businesses in Thailand.

Our staff earn in excess of 15000 BTH per month each.

Our staff do not have to do anything sexual or degrading, yet we find it nearly

impossible to find staff.

We spend 20% of our budget and time just trying to find Thai people to work.

This includes spending long days at the unemployment office, handing out brochures in

the street and in complexes and markets.

Canvasing tuk tuks and other shop owners to find people.

Offering large incentive for people just to find other people to work.

Large numbers of Thai young people become very angry when you simply ask them if they would like a

job serving coffee.

My Lawyer has suggested they get angry because you are implying that they have to work

because either their parents don't love them enough to pay for them, or they are not beautiful

enough to find a partner to take care of them(both men & women).

There is absolutely no excuse for any one in this country to become a prostitute.

These women and their family are just lazy scum bags.

I can offer any one in the picture a job tomorrow which doesn't involve

prostitution.

Just so non Thai people can understand;

the sort of money we offer would easily pay for a very nice condo with swimming pool & gym.

a nice motorcycle and all the Thai food you could eat.

After living in this country on and off for about ten years, I don't have a lot of respect for Thai prostitutes and I have no sympathy for them whats so ever, because I know, there are just so many businesses crying out for workers.

[Thai at Heart]

Lets face it -many foreigners who come/live in Thailand are morons.They dont know anything about Thai life,thai girls except examples from varius soi-s.This guy is talking if women wear shorts then she must be a prostitute,<deleted>? Than most of women from Bangkok are prostitutes?

You dont even have to talk to "farangs",just look at many idiotic posts on internet.Other then many pointless assumptions and reasons why is she working as a bar girls the fact is:

-99% of them -has at LEAST 1 baby to take care without husband,family,child support

-has a poor family that needs to be "take care of"

-dont have any education,even 12-15years if she's lucky

So having a baby/ies,poor family,not even a basic education,she cant work more then 6-7000baht.Its hardly enough for her,needless to say for baby,family.

If you want to see a bar girl transformation you should look at newcomers in bar and after 2-3 months of "working".Sleeping with strangers for money,really changes the person.

The point is everybody has a dream when they're young ,nobody thinks about someday being a dirty old man fantasy.Unfortunately for most of them,its their only choice.

well, speak for yourself.

[wolfmanjack]

There's a joke people used to say around my parts. How are fat girls and mopeds the same? They are both fun to ride until someone sees you! I think is really the same case in Thailand regarding this issue. Nobody has a problem until people on the outside start taking a closer look at Thai society, and there are many facets that the good government representative don't want to face, let alone address.

Namely, the reason why the prostitution game is tolerated in the kingdom is because Thai society is inherently, at its very core, an unequal society. Exploitation in whatever form of the lowly minions by societal members on the top of the sakdina chain is and always has been totally acceptable in Thai society. It only becomes embarrassing when outside viewers see it and actually mock you for it.

Changing the underlying problem would require a sea change which isn't happening anytime soon.

True, but not the whole story. Exploitation in the likes of Pattaya in this paradox of a country, is almost always about Thai girls exploiting foreign men. If you explained this idea of foreign men exploiting the girls in Pattaya to a Pattaya working girl she would fall off her stool laughing.

Right. I know at least two girls that one is getting over 100,000 baht and the other over 200,000 baht a month from westerners that were customers when they were in Thailand and ended up being sponsors because these girls are so good at conning the western guys into believing they are the only ones. One of the girls just bought a 2 million baht house not too far from where i live using the money she gets from sponsors.

A smart girl can make a lot of money and have a great future if she does not blow the money on drugs, booze or Thai boys. For instance the girl making over 200k a month is only 23 years old and is investing in land with the money she gets. The girl that is getting over 100k is 33 years old and has wasted millions of baht on booze and Thai boys. She has just now started investing in land instead of blowing 100% of her money on partying and supporting thai boys. Some would think she is a little long in the tooth to begetting this kind of money but she is still raking it in and she finally realizes that it won't last forever.

[ginjag]

My wife and I own a businesses in Thailand.

Our staff earn in excess of 15000 BTH per month each.

Our staff do not have to do anything sexual or degrading, yet we find it nearly

impossible to find staff.

We spend 20% of our budget and time just trying to find Thai people to work.

This includes spending long days at the unemployment office, handing out brochures in

the street and in complexes and markets.

Canvasing tuk tuks and other shop owners to find people.

Offering large incentive for people just to find other people to work.

Large numbers of Thai young people become very angry when you simply ask them if they would like a

job serving coffee.

My Lawyer has suggested they get angry because you are implying that they have to work

because either their parents don't love them enough to pay for them, or they are not beautiful

enough to find a partner to take care of them(both men & women).

There is absolutely no excuse for any one in this country to become a prostitute.

These women and their family are just lazy scum bags.

I can offer any one in the picture a job tomorrow which doesn't involve

prostitution.

Just so non Thai people can understand;

the sort of money we offer would easily pay for a very nice condo with swimming pool & gym.

a nice motorcycle and all the Thai food you could eat.

After living in this country on and off for about ten years, I don't have a lot of respect for Thai prostitutes and I have no sympathy for them whats so ever, because I know, there are just so many businesses crying out for workers.

Agree with most of this, but at the end of the day it's CHOICES.

[carib102]

My wife and I own a businesses in Thailand.

Our staff earn in excess of 15000 BTH per month each.

Our staff do not have to do anything sexual or degrading, yet we find it nearly

impossible to find staff.

We spend 20% of our budget and time just trying to find Thai people to work.

This includes spending long days at the unemployment office, handing out brochures in

the street and in complexes and markets.

Canvasing tuk tuks and other shop owners to find people.

Offering large incentive for people just to find other people to work.

Large numbers of Thai young people become very angry when you simply ask them if they would like a

job serving coffee.

My Lawyer has suggested they get angry because you are implying that they have to work

because either their parents don't love them enough to pay for them, or they are not beautiful

enough to find a partner to take care of them(both men & women).

There is absolutely no excuse for any one in this country to become a prostitute.

These women and their family are just lazy scum bags.

I can offer any one in the picture a job tomorrow which doesn't involve

prostitution.

Just so non Thai people can understand;

the sort of money we offer would easily pay for a very nice condo with swimming pool & gym.

a nice motorcycle and all the Thai food you could eat.

After living in this country on and off for about ten years, I don't have a lot of respect for Thai prostitutes and I have no sympathy for them whats so ever, because I know, there are just so many businesses crying out for workers.

Businesses are crying out for workers because the unemployment rate is 0.6% in Thailand. Maybe if you would offer your staff more then 15k a month you would have more success retaining staff?

My wife works for a Japanese company that pays her 35k/mo, bonuses up to 4x monthly salary twice yearly, and full benefits. They DO NOT have staffing problems. Granted she would make 3x that amount for the same job in the States, but the cost of living there is also much higher. The point is, she is making a salary comparable to one she would make in a country considered 1st world and staffing is not an issue.

You say you are looking for coffee servers...are you aware that Starbucks is one of the best part time employers in the U.S.? A low unemployment rate means you may need to pay a higher wage to attract the best talent...even if that is just serving coffee. Simple supply and demand. Jobs paying 15k can be found anywhere in Bangkok and the surrounding areas and unfortunately Thais become bored very easily and they are not stupid. They KNOW they can switch out the 15k/mo a job in less than a week for another paying 15k. Sert the bar a bit higher and you might have more success attracting and retaining employees.

[DA3NDORPHIN3]

Lets face it -many foreigners who come/live in Thailand are morons.They dont know anything about Thai life,thai girls except examples from varius soi-s.This guy is talking if women wear shorts then she must be a prostitute,<deleted>? Than most of women from Bangkok are prostitutes?

You dont even have to talk to "farangs",just look at many idiotic posts on internet.Other then many pointless assumptions and reasons why is she working as a bar girls the fact is:

-99% of them -has at LEAST 1 baby to take care without husband,family,child support

-has a poor family that needs to be "take care of"

-dont have any education,even 12-15years if she's lucky

So having a baby/ies,poor family,not even a basic education,she cant work more then 6-7000baht.Its hardly enough for her,needless to say for baby,family.

If you want to see a bar girl transformation you should look at newcomers in bar and after 2-3 months of "working".Sleeping with strangers for money,really changes the person.

The point is everybody has a dream when they're young ,nobody thinks about someday being a dirty old man fantasy.Unfortunately for most of them,its their only choice.

well, speak for yourself.

so what? u belive that they are working at bars because they like it every night with strangers?

[ratcatcher]

What Thailand should be embarrassed about is the plethora of extremely unattractive older Foreign (white) men who proliferate here like rednecks with little subservient slave girls from poor families. The range of ugliness of these types of men living here is appalling.

haha your so right. even the ugliest, fattest, grossest, oldest of men get laid here. why is this? BAHT!!!!!!!!!!

...................................Why is this? Dollars mate. That's why................................................

..................................................................................................

[MuuDaeng]

so what? u belive that they are working at bars because they like it every night with strangers?

Actually, in many, MANY cases: Yes, I believe.

[rubl]

Lets face it -many foreigners who come/live in Thailand are morons.They dont know anything about Thai life,thai girls except examples from varius soi-s.This guy is talking if women wear shorts then she must be a prostitute,<deleted>? Than most of women from Bangkok are prostitutes?

You dont even have to talk to "farangs",just look at many idiotic posts on internet.Other then many pointless assumptions and reasons why is she working as a bar girls the fact is:

-99% of them -has at LEAST 1 baby to take care without husband,family,child support

-has a poor family that needs to be "take care of"

-dont have any education,even 12-15years if she's lucky

So having a baby/ies,poor family,not even a basic education,she cant work more then 6-7000baht.Its hardly enough for her,needless to say for baby,family.

If you want to see a bar girl transformation you should look at newcomers in bar and after 2-3 months of "working".Sleeping with strangers for money,really changes the person.

The point is everybody has a dream when they're young ,nobody thinks about someday being a dirty old man fantasy.Unfortunately for most of them,its their only choice.

well, speak for yourself.

so what? u belive that they are working at bars because they like it every night with strangers?

I have it from some respectable politicians here that foreigners come here for temples, culture, nature and the like

[MobileContent]

This is the most stupid biased and uninformed article i have read in awhile

To the author; wake up moron!!

Totally agree. The author also forgot to mention that Thai's are the number one client for Thai prostitutes and as well for Lao and Khmer prostitutes. Never visited one KTV here in Isaan but was informed by close friends which are Thai's that foreigners are not that welcome and the girls make it with Isaan farmers for 500 Baht.

[MuuDaeng]

...nature and the like

Exactly, and the like...

[MobileContent]

Lets face it -many foreigners who come/live in Thailand are morons.They dont know anything about Thai life,thai girls except examples from varius soi-s.This guy is talking if women wear shorts then she must be a prostitute,<deleted>? Than most of women from Bangkok are prostitutes?

You dont even have to talk to "farangs",just look at many idiotic posts on internet.Other then many pointless assumptions and reasons why is she working as a bar girls the fact is:

-99% of them -has at LEAST 1 baby to take care without husband,family,child support

-has a poor family that needs to be "take care of"

-dont have any education,even 12-15years if she's lucky

So having a baby/ies,poor family,not even a basic education,she cant work more then 6-7000baht.Its hardly enough for her,needless to say for baby,family.

If you want to see a bar girl transformation you should look at newcomers in bar and after 2-3 months of "working".Sleeping with strangers for money,really changes the person.

The point is everybody has a dream when they're young ,nobody thinks about someday being a dirty old man fantasy.Unfortunately for most of them,its their only choice.

well, speak for yourself.

so what? u belive that they are working at bars because they like it every night with strangers?

They are in for the money ! No difference between Thai or prostitutes in Amsterdam. They are in for the money.

The only difference in Amsterdam is that clients wouldn't marry them but that's a different story.